Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-06-15
THE COBRA'S VICTIM.
A Terrible Story from Real Life I'm the
East Indian Settlement.

j - ANAA ADhS otOAg LkCti III Tie
East Indian Settlement.
On boiling hot day, SUCH as one
often experiences In the East Indies,
the sun was pouring DOWN its fierce
rays upon the scorched earth, life
seemed to be extinct, all was so calm
and silent, and eyen the few men EN-.
| ployed around my house moved noise
lessly about, as If to be in keeping with
the rest Of nature.
My house situated little distance
from o busy town, was built of stone,
with a veranda overgrown with creep.
ers all around it, such as seen in most
Anglo-Indian residences, and surroun.
ded by small garden in which all tie
beauties Of a tropical climate -four.
isbed.
During this afternoon 1 was resting
myself In an easy bamboo chair alone
| in my room; the blinds were drawn
down to keep it as cool as possible, but
nevertheless the heat was intense,
making me feel restless and irritible.
Novel after novel | opened. and after
reading few pages flung the book
aside; and having tried for few min.
utes 70 sleep, l got up and went to ont
or the windows. Drawing up the blind
quietly, l saw on the veranda my little
daughter GladiZ.
self, being our only child, and l was
about to tap the glass In order to at
tract her attention. when / noticed
that she was carrying bowl of what
appeared to be bread and milk, and
seemed to be looking for some one. Al
the same time 1 saw, to my horror, a
huge snake of the most venomous
notwithstanding from the side OF
the house along the veranda toward
her. She went slowly to meet it.
knew that it would now be impos.
sible for me to 60 out or to make the
slightest sound without attracting the
snakes attention, and then / shud-
dered, for when once it was alarmed
the consequences might be fearful, SO
had to watch what was going to hap
pen in a cold perspiration Of fear for
the safety Of my child
The cobra, on reaching the child,
reared its loathsome head in the air
until level with the bowl, meanwhile
darting its tongue backward and for
ward and casting fierce gIances around
to see il danger was near, while it de-
voured the bread and milk. Gladiz
stroked its head gently and called the
reptile "her pet, "''her pretty snake. :"
watched the food gradually disap-
pear, and could have cried for relief
when l saw the snake had finished its
meal, which | inwardly vowed should
be Its last. 1t then crept slowly toward
a hole in the side Of the house TO which
it disappeared.
rushed from the room, ard, meet
ing Gladiz coming into the hall, picked
her up in my arms and kissed her fran
tlcally, exclaiming. "Oh, GladiZ, Gla-
diz. the snakel' The child began to
cry, knowing then had seen her with
her pet. Her nurse, coming up to see
what was the matter, gave Gladiz
into her charge and went TO find my
wife, TO whom 1 told all that had &C.
CURED.
My wife learned from Gladiz that
she had been accustomed TO feed the
snake twice day-after breakfast and
during the sfternoon-for the last
three months and often, if she thought
she was being watched, she would leave
the bowl on the yeranda, fetching it
away at another time.
: We, my wife and myself, arranged
that the bowl should be put in its place
as usual tomorrow morning, and that
l should shoot the snake from the win
dow OF my room while it was eating.
We also thought it best that Gladiz
should not be told that her pet was
going to be killed.
Breakfast was rather hurried next
morning for 1 was anxious TO get this
dangerous pet killed as soon as possi-
BILE. The bowl was temptingly put in
its place, as directed by GladiZ, and /
took up my position with gun at The
window of my room, completely hidden
from the outside by the Venetian
blind. The child was taken by my
wife to the nursery, as arranged be-
tween US the evening before. All was
really now, the snake alone was want
ing.
1t did not keep me long waiting.
Soon saw its head appear out Of the
hole. The snake looked around with
Its glittering eyes, and, seeing the bowl
crawled out on to the yeranaa and
made its way toward it.
1t seemed frightened, once or twice
1t turned round as if to return.
Ny time had come; the cobra was |
fapldly eating Its meal. 1, carefully I
bringing the gun to my shoulder, fired. |
The brute rolled over, quiyering and
on the ground.
Logan to pull up the blind with the
intention Of going out and giving the
cobra the death-blow, when l heard a
fearful scream and moment after saw
Gla liz run past the window-her gJl- |
den haIr loose, her dress torn-toward
the wounded snake.
Before l could prevent her she had
thrown herself on her knees before it,
and lifting It's head In her hands
pressed it against her cheek, weeping
bitterly while she did SO; instantly the
cobra buried Its poisoned fangs into
her delicate flesh. She screamed and
lnclasped her hands from around the
snake.
A cry escaped my lips rs saw what
and taking GladIz in my
arms, carried her indoors. All the
medical skill could do save our child
was done, but of no avail. In less than
.wo hours she was dead. Tears have
passed since then, but l never can for
ret the events OF that fearful day.